lewis



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

N. O. LEWIS.

WIRE NAIL MACHINE. No. 328,286. Patented. Oct. 13, 1885 M77765 ses 174mm;

%A/W W N. PETERs. Phom-Limn n mn Washington. ac.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2.

r N. G. LEWIS.

WIRE NAIL MACHINE.

No. 328,286. Patented Oct. 13, 1885.

N, PKTERS Phnlo-Ulhagrapher. Washingicn. 0.6.

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3. N. O. LEWIS.

WIRE NAIL MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 13. 1885.

wa v 2 ffW N. PETERS, Phoko-Lilhugflphm'. Wauhington. D. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHAN G. LEWIS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CLINTON LOVELL, OF SAME PLACE.

WIRE-NAIL MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,236, dated October 13, 1885.

Application filed July 19, 1884. Serial No. 138,237. (No model.)

To all whom it may cancer-n: lever, e, affixed to a rock-shaft, f, having two Be it known that I, NATHAN O. LEWIS, of arms, which are provided with cutters h 71, Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of whereby lengths or sections are cut from two l\Iassachusetts,haveinvented certain Improvesupplying-wires, each section being of the ments in Machines for Making Wire Nails and proper length for two nails. The lever c is 55 Rivets, of which the following is a specificaalso connected by rods t t, at opposite sides tion. of its pivot, with toggle-joints j .7'. which This invention relates to machines adapted operate the removable parts of dies k k, which to form nails, rivets, or similar articles from divide the sections out off by the cutters IO continuous lengths of wire, and having the h it into two parts, and form points on both 60 following elements, viz: wire-feeding mechparts. anism adapted fo'feed twice the length of wire The drivingshaft is connected by bevelrequired for a single nail or other articles to gears with two vertical shafts, Z Z, journa-led be produced, means for cutting off a section in bearings on the sides of the frame a. The

of the length of the feed-movement, dividingshaft Zactuates the duplicate feed mechanisms 6 dies located below the plane of the feeding hereinafter described, whereby the two conand cutting-off devices, and adapted to divide tinuous wires are fed forward to be-severed the section at the middle of its length into two by the cutters h h. Four headers or hammers, nails, and headers or hammers adapted to sim m m m, (two for each wire-cutter h and multaneously upset or head both nails. each pair of separating and pointing dies 7a,) 70

The invention consists as a whole in the are operated by the shaftsl l, each shaft opercombination of two duplicate nail-forming orating two headers, as will be described. ganizations, each including the elements above The wire feeding devices consist of two named, with operating mechanism, whereby slides, a 02, adapted to move in guides o 0,

' each element of one organization is causedto affixed to the frame a, each slide being pro- 7 act alternately with the corresponding element vided with a longitudinal orifice for the wire, of the other organization. and a spring-dog, 19, adapted to grasp the wire Theinvention also consists in certain details, and move it with the slide when the latter is all of which I will now proceed to describe. moving forward, and to slip on the wire when Of the accompanying drawings, forming a the slide is moving backward. Each slide n 80 part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a is provided with a rack, n, the two racks beside elevation of a machine embodying my ining on the proximate sides of the slides. \Vith vention. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the said racks engage two gear segmentals, q q, same. Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal secformed on arms attached to a sleeve or collar,

tion on line :0 m, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents an 9", on a vertical bolt or pivot, s, which is sup- 85 end elevation. Fig. 5 represents a section on ported in cars or bearings t t on the frame a. line y 3/, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 represents an enlarged The collar 1" has another gear-segnient,u,which view of the cutting-off cutters. Fig. 7 repremeshes with a similar segment, 4), on a vertisents a section on line 2 2, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 repcal rock-shaft, w, mounted in bearings on the 0 resents an enlarged section on line 22, Fig. 1. frame a. The rock-shaft w has a crank, 20, at c Fig. 9 represents a horizontal section of the itslower end, which is connected by it connectdividing-dies used in forming rivets. Fig. 10 ing-rod, 10 with a wrist-pin, w secured to a represents a section on line 2 z, Fig. 9. cross-head, w, on the lower end of the vertical In the drawings,'arepresents the supportshaft 1, the wrist-pin being eccentric to the ing-frame of the machine,at one end of which shaft, so that the rotation of the latter causes 95 is journaled the transverse driving-shaft b. the connecting-rod to oscillate the rock-shaft Said shaft is provided with a crank, b,which w, the latter by its gear-segments q q reciproenters a slot in the end of a lever, 0. Said eating the feeding-slides n n. It will be seen b lever is pivoted at c to fixed lugs on the that said slides will move simultaneously in frame a, and is connected by a rod, d, with a opposite directions, one feeding its wire fortoo ward while the other is being drawn backward. The length of movement imparted to the slides is determined by the position of the wrist-pin 10 said pin being movable toward and from the center of the shaft Z in a groove in the cross-head to vary the throw of the connectingrod 10, a screw, w, working in a lug on the cross-head at one end of the groove holding the wrist-pin at any posit-ion to which it may be adjusted. The cutters h h are located in close proximity to the inner ends of the feeding-slides n n, each cutter h, and a co-operating fixed cutter on the frame a,being'arranged to sever the wire after it has been fed forward by the corresponding feeding-slide, the rocking motion of the shaft f, to which the arms supporting said cutters are attached, causing the cutters to operate alternately like the feeding slides. The section of wire moved forward by each movement of the feedingslides and severed by each cutter IL is of sufficient length for two nails.

The dies 7a, which divide the sections of wire into two parts and point each part, are located below the plane of the feeding-slides, so that each section, after it is severed by a cutter, h, drops to position to be acted on by the corresponding die 70. The dies k k are composed of the fixed half-dies 2 2, attached to blocks a a, affixed to the frame a by setscrews and clamping-plates e 0, (see Fig. 3,) and the movable half-dies 3 3, attached by clamping-plates d d to blocks f f, which are mounted in slides g g, which move in guides in the frame a, and are pivoted to the innerlinks or members of the toggle-joints j j. The half-dies 3 3 are operated alternately by the oscillations of the lever c, the parts of one die approaching each other while the parts of the other die are separating.

The clamping-plates d e are beveled on their proximate ends and provided with cor responding projections and recesses, so arranged that the projections of the plate (1 will enter the recesses in the corresponding plate, e, the two beveled edges forming a bottomless V-shaped trough,'71/, as shown at the left in Fig. 3, which receives the section of wire severed by a cutter, h. lVhen the plate d is moved away from the plate 6 by the separation of the parts of the die below said plates, an opening is formed between the plates of sufficient size to permit the section of wire to fall onto supporting-rods 2" 1L, which are adapted-to slide in orifices formed through the dies 2, the blocks a, and the parts of the frame a supporting said blocks, said rods extending across the space between the dies 3 3, and being moved alternately by the dies 3 3, each die 3 as it approaches its fixed companion pushing the rods 1" i across the space that is at the same time being formed by the separation of the other die 3 from its fixed companion, thus enabling the rods to arrest the next blank that falls into said space. Said rods support the sections'of wire between the halfdies 2 3 atthe proper height for the action of said dies.

The headers m m m m are plungers adapted to slide in sockets in the frame a and to strike and upset the opposite ends of the sections of wire and upset them against the ends of the blocks a f, thus forming the heads of the nails. The headers are operated by levers j j pivoted at k is to cars on the frame a, and having attheir rear ends slots m m, in which are adapted to reciprocate slides 0 0'', cccentrically pivoted to disks 1) p on the vertical shafts Z l. The rotation of the shafts Z 1 causes the levers j j to oscillate. The head ers m bear against the levers j at opposite sides of the pivotal points of the latter, and are pressed against the levers by springs 9, Fig. 5, so that when the headers at one side of the pivots of the levers j are being'pressed inwardly to form the nail -heads the other headers are moving outwardly.

The operation of one series of parts-via, a feeding-slide and the cutter h, dies 7c, and

headers m m co-operating therewithis as follows: The feeding-slide feeds its wire while the cutter h is raised,and the dies 70 are brought together to divide the section of wire previ ously cut by the same cutter. After the wire is fed the cutter h descends and cuts off a section of wire, which drops into the V-shaped trough h. Thehalfdie 3, with its plate (1, then recedes from the fixed half-die 2, the previously-completed nails at the same time dr0p ping into a chute or receptacle below, the supportingrods i having been pushed into the fixed halt die by the last approach of the moving half-die, so that they interpose no obstacle to the descent of the nails. Immediately after the nails fall the rods 2" are pushed back by the inward movement of the opposite half-die 3, and extend across the space formed by the ICO outward movement of the halfdie 3 now under consideration. The trough h is opened by the outward movement of the half-die 3 and plate (1, and the section of wire falls upon the rods z". The half-die 3 then moves toward the half-die 2, the two severing the wire at the center of its length, and by a combined cutting and swaging action forming pyramidal or conical points on the nail ends thus formed. At the same time the headers move simultaneously against the projecting ends of the sections and form heads on both nails. The halfdies 2 3 then separate, as before, the completed nails fall, and the operation is repeated.

The operation of the machine as a whole will be readily understood from the foregoing description, it being borne in mind that the feeding devices, the severing-cutters, the dividing and pointing dies, and the headers of one series alternate in their operation with the corresponding parts in the other series.

The mechanism is sotimed that both series operate during a single rotation of the driving-shaft, four nails being thus formed in the In forming rivets the pointing-dies k are re moved, and dies K K, Figs. 9 and 10, adapted to sever the wire and form blunt ends instead of points, are substituted for them. The head ers are arranged with their centers at one side of the line of wire, as shown in Fig. 5, so that by partially rotating each header a different portion of it can be presented to the wire. Cavities are formed in the headers adapted to form the convex heads of rivets, said cavities being interchangeable with the flat nail'headforming portions of the headers.

I c a ,7 I

1. In a machine for making wire nails or other like articles, the combination of two duplicate nail-forming organizations, each including a feeding device, a cutter for severing a section of wire dividing-dies located below the plane of said feeding device and cutter, and duplicate headers or hammers, and operating mechanism, substantially as described, whereby each element of one organization is caused to act alternately with the corresponding element of the other organization, as set forth.

2. The combination, with duplicate cutting off, dividing, and head-forming mechanism, of the feeding-slides having wire-grasping devices, and racks, the segment-gearsgg, engaged with said racks, and mechanism, substantially as described, for oscillating said segment-gears,

and thereby reciprocating the slides simultaneously in opposite directions, as set forth.

3. The combination of the feedingslides, the gear-segments engaging with racks thereon, the rock-shaft 20, adapted to oscillate said gear-segments, the connecting-rod connected to a crank on the rocloshaft, and the drivingshaft Z, having a cross-head and an adjustable wrist-pin to which the connecting-rod is connected, said wrist-pin enabling the throw of the connecting-rod and the length of the feed movement of the feeding-slides to be adjusted, as set forth.

4. The combination, with duplicate feeding,

oscillating lever a, connected, as described, to the toggle-joints at opposite sides of its pivot, whereby the dies 3 3 are moved in unison and caused to act alternately, as set forth.

6. The combination, with duplicate feeding, cutting-off, and dividing mechanism, of the four spring-retracted hammers arranged to bear against the ends of two sections of wire held by the dividing mechanism and the oscillating levers, whereby said hammers are operated two at a time, as set forth.

7. The combination of the feeding devices having feed movements of twice the length of a nail, the cutters adapted to sever the wire after each feed movement, two plates, d 6, one fixed and the other movable, below the plane of each feeding device and cutter, said plates having their proximate ends formed to" present a trough to receive the section of wire, two dividing half-dies, 2 3, one fixed and the other movable, located beloweach said trough, sliding rods t" 6, adapted to be moved by the half-dies 3 3 and arranged to arrest the wire sections falling from the troughs, mechanism for moving said movable plates d and dies 3 toward and from the fixed plate 6 and dies 2, the headers or hammers, and operating mechanism therefor, all arranged and operated substantially as set forth.

8. The headers or hammers arranged with their centers at one side of the line of wire and adapted to be rotated to present different heading-surfaces to the wire, as set forth.

9. In a wire-nail machine, the combination of two blocks or holders having cavities in their proximate faces, the two cavities fitting the wire from which the nails are to be produced, dies or cutters between said cavities, arranged to sever a blank of wire into two parts by a combined cutting and swaging action, and thereby form two points, two hammers arranged in line with the cavities in the blocks or holders, and adapted to move toward and from said dies in the direction of the length of the wire held thereby, and mechanism, substantially as described, to operate said blocks or holders, dies, and hammers, as set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 5th day of July,

NATHAN O. LEWIS. Witnesses:

O. F. BROWN, A. L. WHITE. 

